


Just a Ghost of Exhaustion

by princelogical



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Danny is tired(tm), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Let my boy r e s t, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 01:23:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10686876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princelogical/pseuds/princelogical
Summary: “Beware! I am the Box-”“Beware, beware, beware,” Danny grunted in exasperation. “We get it.” His eyes scanned over the forty-some green glowing shipping crates. “What is it this time?”“Beware! The shipping crates of doom!”Of doom. It was always “of doom.” Danny would have to buy the stupid ghost a t-shirt.Or, Danny is exhausted and that never mixes well with having to fight.





	Just a Ghost of Exhaustion

Danny really hadn’t wanted to go out on such a night, but he was Danny Phantom, hero (or not- it depended upon the day and people’s moods), who simply couldn’t take a break, no matter how stormy it was outside or how bad his headache was. He had a duty to Amity Park and he had to keep it. Sam would argue something like, “even heroes need breaks,” but did the various ghosts who terrorized the town… city… _world_ take breaks? 

Uh… No. They didn’t.

So Danny found himself thoroughly exhausted, but still yet facing the infamous Box Ghost right outside an abandoned shipping company’s building at 12 something on a school night. Danny could really say he was just the… _luckiest_ guy on the planet.

“Beware! I am the Box-”

“Beware, beware, beware,” Danny grunted in exasperation. “We get it.” His eyes scanned over the forty-some green glowing shipping crates. “What is it this time?”

“Beware! The shipping crates of doom!”

Of doom. It was always “of doom.” Danny would have to buy the stupid ghost a t-shirt.

“Yeah, all right. How about-” Before he could finish, about five crates levitated and then were flung towards his general direction. He yelped in surprise, dodging with ease.

“C’mon, buddy, it’s been a looong night and-”

More crates were flung, one nearly hitting him before he dove downward and pulled out the Fenton Thermos, teeth gritted.

“Let’s make this quick.”

And it appeared it would be. The Box Ghost had terrible, _terrible_ aim and Danny had long grown used to dodging things. You tend to learn quickly when blood-thirsty ghosts start coming your way, out for blood. Or… whatever _substance_ Danny bled when in ghost form.

He really didn’t like to think about that.

“Time for you to be _shipped_ back where you belong,” Danny yelled, internally wincing. Terrible, really.

He didn’t expect the stupid thermos to malfunction. The stupid thing never did if it was used right. Okay, to be honest, maybe it wasn’t the thermos that malfunctioned- maybe it was his tired limbs not dealing the stupid thing properly. Who knew? All _he_ knew was that after he’d sealed the ghost safely inside and shifted back into his human form, the cap literally popped right off.

It slammed into his ribs and he swore he could hear the agonizing _crack!_ of his ribs upon the impact. He dropped the thermos, only to dive for it frantically and shove the stupid cap back on before the Box Ghost escaped and made the situation 10x worse.

That was how he found himself behind an old shipping company’s building, broken crates surrounding him as he clutched at his surely-broken ribs. Danny grit his teeth once more. Lovely. Injuries were a part of the job. Typically, however, they were easily fixable. Bruises, bumps, cuts… Normal. Broken ribs? Not so much.

It didn’t help that typically injuries occurred due to ghosts cruelty… Not his stupidity.

He took a deep breath, only to wince again in pain. He twisted his body slightly. His breath was yanked from him and his vision blurred. Okay, so they were 100% broken. Now what?

He ran over his options. The most logical thing was to make his way to the nearest hospital, or at the very lest, alert his parents to take him to the nearest hospital, but A) he’d have to explain how he got the injury and B) he just _really_ didn’t want to do that. Besides, there wasn’t really anything they could do for his ribs, right? They healed on their own in like… 6 weeks. They’d just drug him on pain-killers and send him on his way.

That’s why he settled on option number 2- Call Tucker.

Maybe it wasn’t the best idea. Sam was better suited to help him and come up with a logical solution. But within that logic, she’d give him a long and tired lecture about _not playing hero all the time_ and he really wasn’t in the mood. So that left Tucker.

Who didn’t answer his phone.

Danny groaned and tugged at his hair and tried again. No answer. Of course there wasn’t. Tucker was asleep, as was any normal citizen. Danny tried his number for the third time, crossing his fingers and apparently something was on his side, because after the fourth ring, Tucker answered.

“Tucker Foley, how cjvjn I be of shdjndsc,” he mumbled intolerantly.

“Tuck!” Danny answered cheerfully, trying hard to not cry from the pain that was beginning to really hurt. Crying really wouldn’t be the manliest thing to do.

“Danny?” Still half-asleep sounding, but at least he had his attention.

“I have a little… problem.”

“Mhmf.”

“I had a little run-in with the Box Ghost. No big, but I uh… Ugh, I think I broke my ribs?”

“What?” He heard shuffling and Tucker sounded less out of it. “Dude, what the heck? How’d you _break your ribs_? I broke mine once and it _hurt_. Bad, man. Worst pain ever.” Tucker took a deep breath. Danny envied him, as each of his own breaths came with sharp pains. “Where are you? I can help, I can fix this.”

_Thud._

“Tucker?”

“It’s okay! I just tripped on my pants, it’s good. I’m tracking you on your phone with that new thing I’ve been working on? Just sit tight, man. Tucker’s coming to the rescue.”

“Thanks,” Danny muttered, unable to keep amusement from his voice.

He hung up with a sigh that sent another pain through his ribs. He leaned against one of the broken crates and closed his eyes. The Box Ghost was safely tucked away, unable to harm anyone for now and his best friend was on the way.

He could rest.

**Author's Note:**

> *coughs* Ehem, first work for this fandom soooo, sorry? Idk. Let me know what you think! :)


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